I know I have been a poor blogger for quite some time. I guess there is nothing new around here. I didn't feel like complaining about the weather, and that is certainly not newsworthy. I guess I have been on a steady course getting ready for the show in October.
I pleaded with my friend in Kansas to finish up the projects bags. She is desperately poor right now, but she finally is going to get some money coming in October. I asked her to please send me any fiber she did not want. I especially wanted (coveted) the red alpaca she had bought in Taos when we took our last trip. I have already spun two lovely-beautiful-skeins of handspun with a blend of the alpaca and merino. I got a plan to get hers, order more merino, and I could have two more skeins of the red yarn. Then I can make a sweater.
She did send the alpaca. I pulled the skeins out of my bag for the show. That meant I had to finish two skeins of something to replace the two I pulled. I got high behind and yesterday I finished two more skeins of New Zealand merino, cashmere, and bush possum. It was a whim buy that I got from Paradise Fibers with a birthday discount two years ago.
I guess the bush possum has this short little poof of hair, and the only way I can imagine it is to blend it with something. That's what the company did. I read it is a hollow core fiber like bison or quiviut.
It would be as difficult to spin it as those two. Anyway, it was fun to experiment with something new.
I went to the spinning guild meeting on Saturday, and I took a huge amount of my fiber to give away to anyone who wanted it. It felt really good to clean out the things I don't think I will ever use. I rationalized some of it, but for the most part I just grabbed and put it in the car and hauled it away. It was all gone within minutes. I love spinners.
I am moving right along with the Starry Sky sweater from the Medieval book. I cannot fathom walking into this gorgeous, really old church, staring at the paintings on the walls, and creating knitting patterns from those paintings! But it is done, and I can enjoy the beauty of photos.
I finished one of the Norwegian socks with the star on the heel. It is wonderful. I made the largest size. I have huge ankles, and I have a tendency to knit too tightly with colorwork. My past experience has been too tight to get on. Actually these fit perfectly and if anything are loose enough to enjoy. I think once they felt some inside, it will be the perfect winter sock. And I have stars on my heels!
I am thinking of the next sweater with the handspun. I haven't finished the yarn yet, so will not actually decide the pattern until then. I am writing names of patterns I like on slips of paper, and I will review them again once I get to that point. This is the dreaming part of knitting that I find so much fun. I really think I want something with cables, but who knows. I think I would like a cardigan. I have mostly pullovers, and a cardigan would be nice. See-dreaming.
I am ready for the show to happen. I think it will be so much fun. October is THE CRAFT MONTH here and this will just be the beginning of many shows to happen in just a few weeks. I wonder how come October is the month. When did it all begin? I know that I did War Eagle in October back in the late 70's. Back when it was a small gathering, and everyone was so welcoming and nice and friendly. It was certainly fun. I had my spinning wheel and sat spinning away during the whole weekend.
Today I have been sucking up cobwebs and other stuff from the corners with my vacuum. I live with them for a while, and then they do have to go. I am in a cleaning mood, which is not my usual mood. I guess the change in seasons tells me that soon I will have to close up the house. I have to dust the ceiling fans, and wash behind things and get ready for new weather to arrive. Thank goodness we still have warm days with sun.
Yesterday I sat on the deck in a shady spot and knit four rows on my sweater. It was very peaceful. The birds were fussing at me, but otherwise very little noise. The light is great for reading the chart. My only complaint so far with this pattern is the chart is printed in color. When I photocopied it to put on my magnet board and to enlarge it, I couldn't read it. It took a lot of work to lighten it up and get the size right. I obviously have overcome the obstacles and I have been moving along.
The yard is still overgrown, but it is definitely end of season. My black-eyed Susan's are done. The grasshoppers have been chewing on everything, so most of the plants looks scraggly.
Speaking of scraggly, Patty is looking a little bit shaggy. I called her groomer, but he just had open-heart surgery. I know I can take her to someone else, but he lets me stay during the process. So I got her down last week and cut off her hobbit hair around her feet, trimmed her nails, and trimmed around her face. She still looks a little ragged. I think she is happy to have hair since the nights have been in the 40's. I still leave the window open at night. I just added one of my flannel quilts and it is quite snuggly. Patty burrows under during the night and gets up close. Sometime in the night Noodles will get under the other side. Then I am pinned.
So that is that. Oh, I am knitting a watch cap for my cousin to wear when he is sailing. That is my mindless easy knitting I stick into my purse. There is no pattern. You cast on, rib, knit, decrease. That's it. Easy knitting.
I probably won't have much news to relate until after the show. I am in the mood to get this over and done with.
I think I will finish my cleaning chores and maybe go out on the deck and knit.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Let's Catch Up
Okay, it is the middle of August. It has been in the 50's at night, and only into the low 80's during the day. How strange is this? August is usually the hottest and driest month of our summer. I checked my electric bill from last year, and my last bill I paid is $20 cheaper than last year. Weird!
Anyway, I am ready for the show in October. I need to do some last minute things, and I need to check all my labels. I set the table up and it is fine. No repairs are needed for any of that stuff. So just last minute fiddly kind of stuff.
I have been slogging along with my colorwork sweater. Actually this week motivated me to move a little faster. With the cool evenings, I picked up the shawl I had put aside. I am on the homestretch with it. It felt really good laying across my legs as I knit.
We have also been having a deluge of rain. It seems everyone is having rain, so nothing new with that. Just why 5-6 inches a day is the question?
I bought some yarn at HandHeld to make some gloves. I cast on, started the ribbing, and I put it down. I don't need another pair of gloves. What was I thinking? Okay, now I have this expensive sock yarn, and I don't want gloves or socks. I'll have to think on that one.
I was without my computer for three days this week. I felt adrift without a lifeline. I guess they are addictive. I got some mending done, I did my ironing, and I mended a quilt that was damaged. I finished sewing the strip quilt top. So lots of things got done; just stuff I put off and put off and put off.
Patty has had another bout with her pancreatitis. I guess this is going to be written up as a chronic condition now. It is so lovely to wake up at midnight with a puking dog. After I got her outside and cared for, I had to clean all that mess up. I go on hyper vigil after that and one time I was aware that she was in the "stance" to puke, so I grabbed her and started running down the hallway. I stumbled and fell, and she went skittering across the wood floor. In my half-sleep stupor I said, "Damn, I fumbled the football." She, of course, threw up all over the floor. I did skin my knee and elbow, but I was more concerned in getting the hallway cleaned up.
My single roadrunner is getting to be quite friendly. It comes up on the deck and clacks its bill. I talk to it and it flies up onto the rooftop and goes to the front porch. Once while I was sitting on the screened porch, it clacked it's bill to let me know it was close by (probably that it was aware that I was near), and then it flew up on the stair railing. I have never seen them so close up. The plumage is such a gorgeous color of deep purple. It looks black from a distance. Then it has turquoise eye liner. So pretty.
The birds are eating seeds like crazy. I know the poor things are so confused by the weather. I only have two hummingbirds, and they defend the feeder vigilantly. While they are attacking each other, the downy woodpecker sits there and slurps up sugar water. Too cute!
My neighbor came over to remove the last of the dirt from my dirt pile. He always has yard projects, and I donated it to him. He used his son's big tractor, and he made quite a mess in my yard. It was that night that the rains started. So, of course, I have a big ole muddy mess in the back yard. I am sure the Johnson grass will grow just fine through that.
I finally got to mow this week, but now I have a hay field out there. I think with the dryer weather and coolness, the grass will quit growing so rapidly.
I am dyeing some BFL today with turquoise. I was standing at my stand looking at my handspun on the rack. I need some color. I stood there for a long time and finally thought "turquoise". So I am soaking the wool, and slowly heating the pot.
I am expecting a package from GK within the next coupla weeks. She says she has four more bags for me. I asked her to put some of her fiber into the box. I specifically want the alpaca that she bought in Taos when we went. I have some yarn that I spun that I love, and I blended the fibers with the alpaca. If I get hers, I can get two more skeins, and I think I could make something really nice with that. She is having a hard time struggling with money issues. I wish I could help her out more, but I don't have the ability to help her much. I make up things-like the bags-to give her projects and to help her. It has really been a struggle for her just to sew the bags. She is so depressed, and her mind is befuddled.
Well, I guess that is my catch up report. Not a lot to talk about, but I am slowly getting things done around here. I am just so thrilled to have things together for the show.
Stay cool and dry. Enjoy the weekend!
Anyway, I am ready for the show in October. I need to do some last minute things, and I need to check all my labels. I set the table up and it is fine. No repairs are needed for any of that stuff. So just last minute fiddly kind of stuff.
I have been slogging along with my colorwork sweater. Actually this week motivated me to move a little faster. With the cool evenings, I picked up the shawl I had put aside. I am on the homestretch with it. It felt really good laying across my legs as I knit.
We have also been having a deluge of rain. It seems everyone is having rain, so nothing new with that. Just why 5-6 inches a day is the question?
I bought some yarn at HandHeld to make some gloves. I cast on, started the ribbing, and I put it down. I don't need another pair of gloves. What was I thinking? Okay, now I have this expensive sock yarn, and I don't want gloves or socks. I'll have to think on that one.
I was without my computer for three days this week. I felt adrift without a lifeline. I guess they are addictive. I got some mending done, I did my ironing, and I mended a quilt that was damaged. I finished sewing the strip quilt top. So lots of things got done; just stuff I put off and put off and put off.
Patty has had another bout with her pancreatitis. I guess this is going to be written up as a chronic condition now. It is so lovely to wake up at midnight with a puking dog. After I got her outside and cared for, I had to clean all that mess up. I go on hyper vigil after that and one time I was aware that she was in the "stance" to puke, so I grabbed her and started running down the hallway. I stumbled and fell, and she went skittering across the wood floor. In my half-sleep stupor I said, "Damn, I fumbled the football." She, of course, threw up all over the floor. I did skin my knee and elbow, but I was more concerned in getting the hallway cleaned up.
My single roadrunner is getting to be quite friendly. It comes up on the deck and clacks its bill. I talk to it and it flies up onto the rooftop and goes to the front porch. Once while I was sitting on the screened porch, it clacked it's bill to let me know it was close by (probably that it was aware that I was near), and then it flew up on the stair railing. I have never seen them so close up. The plumage is such a gorgeous color of deep purple. It looks black from a distance. Then it has turquoise eye liner. So pretty.
The birds are eating seeds like crazy. I know the poor things are so confused by the weather. I only have two hummingbirds, and they defend the feeder vigilantly. While they are attacking each other, the downy woodpecker sits there and slurps up sugar water. Too cute!
My neighbor came over to remove the last of the dirt from my dirt pile. He always has yard projects, and I donated it to him. He used his son's big tractor, and he made quite a mess in my yard. It was that night that the rains started. So, of course, I have a big ole muddy mess in the back yard. I am sure the Johnson grass will grow just fine through that.
I finally got to mow this week, but now I have a hay field out there. I think with the dryer weather and coolness, the grass will quit growing so rapidly.
I am dyeing some BFL today with turquoise. I was standing at my stand looking at my handspun on the rack. I need some color. I stood there for a long time and finally thought "turquoise". So I am soaking the wool, and slowly heating the pot.
I am expecting a package from GK within the next coupla weeks. She says she has four more bags for me. I asked her to put some of her fiber into the box. I specifically want the alpaca that she bought in Taos when we went. I have some yarn that I spun that I love, and I blended the fibers with the alpaca. If I get hers, I can get two more skeins, and I think I could make something really nice with that. She is having a hard time struggling with money issues. I wish I could help her out more, but I don't have the ability to help her much. I make up things-like the bags-to give her projects and to help her. It has really been a struggle for her just to sew the bags. She is so depressed, and her mind is befuddled.
Well, I guess that is my catch up report. Not a lot to talk about, but I am slowly getting things done around here. I am just so thrilled to have things together for the show.
Stay cool and dry. Enjoy the weekend!
Friday, August 9, 2013
Still Raining!
This is August 9. August is always a very hot, very dry, very air conditioner kind of month.
It has been raining for about a week now. I mean we have had lots of thunderstorms with lightening and thunder and wind. I pick up dead limbs out of the yard every morning. By mid afternoon the sun will peek out a little bit, and the humidity zooms to "air you wear". I turn on the a/c at that point. Until then I can tolerate the warmness and moistness.
Well, we did have snow in May! Why not rain in August?
I have been spinning the BFL blend that I bought in Kellyville. It works up fast, it looks gorgeous, and I love it. I am on the second bobbin of the second skein. I started on Sunday. Wow! It is nice.
I sold my little Norwood loom to a new weaver in Cabot. I am delivering it in Russellville tomorrow. I am sad at my decision, but it is a good one. I don't know why I am grieving so much. I haven't really woven anything in a long, long time. It just means I have to move on.
I do spend most of my time with my spinning and knitting. Occasionally I wander into the back room to sew.
I hate being a grown-up! I have to make big decisions and then I move on.
My neighbor has been using his son's tractor to move dirt from my pile to his yard. Now I have a muddy mess in the back yard. I try not to think too much about it. The rain has kept him from finishing up the job. I know he will clean up the mess once it is dry enough. It is just awful to look out there first thing in the morning.
I have been watching movies on Netflix this week while spinning. I finished one yesterday that was Australian. I would never go to the movie theater to see it, but it was good.
Well, I am off to the grocery store for my weekly shopping. Just wanted to grouse some about the weather. I am beginning to get used to the idea of rain every day. Feels really tropical around here. Where's the beach?
It has been raining for about a week now. I mean we have had lots of thunderstorms with lightening and thunder and wind. I pick up dead limbs out of the yard every morning. By mid afternoon the sun will peek out a little bit, and the humidity zooms to "air you wear". I turn on the a/c at that point. Until then I can tolerate the warmness and moistness.
Well, we did have snow in May! Why not rain in August?
I have been spinning the BFL blend that I bought in Kellyville. It works up fast, it looks gorgeous, and I love it. I am on the second bobbin of the second skein. I started on Sunday. Wow! It is nice.
I sold my little Norwood loom to a new weaver in Cabot. I am delivering it in Russellville tomorrow. I am sad at my decision, but it is a good one. I don't know why I am grieving so much. I haven't really woven anything in a long, long time. It just means I have to move on.
I do spend most of my time with my spinning and knitting. Occasionally I wander into the back room to sew.
I hate being a grown-up! I have to make big decisions and then I move on.
My neighbor has been using his son's tractor to move dirt from my pile to his yard. Now I have a muddy mess in the back yard. I try not to think too much about it. The rain has kept him from finishing up the job. I know he will clean up the mess once it is dry enough. It is just awful to look out there first thing in the morning.
I have been watching movies on Netflix this week while spinning. I finished one yesterday that was Australian. I would never go to the movie theater to see it, but it was good.
Well, I am off to the grocery store for my weekly shopping. Just wanted to grouse some about the weather. I am beginning to get used to the idea of rain every day. Feels really tropical around here. Where's the beach?
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Okay! I have a problem!
Well, yesterday I awoke with no internet connection. I missed it. It threw my whole normal morning routine in a tizzy. We were having a thunder storm and it was raining hard. So I sat in my nest and knitted and listened to Pandora on my IPad.
Finally late morning nearly noon, my friend CJE came over with a huge amount of stuff. She finally got herself set up with her spinning wheel. She said it is a really sad day when you notice there are cobwebs on your spinning wheel. So I gave her a cloth and some oil and she cleaned it up before starting.
So the afternoon was productive with me knitting and her spinning and talking about things.
After she left the young man from Cox came over and worked on my mess again. I ended up buying a new router at Office Depot, and I am online again. Unfortunately, the original problem is still there.
I can get connection, but suddenly it goes away. Sometimes it comes back immediately, and sometimes it takes a while to reconnect.
Weather is crazy and no one can figure out what is happening. We never, ever get so much rain and I never, ever have to mow so regularly. Sigh! At least I don't have to turn on the air conditioner until later in the afternoon when the sun comes out and the humidity rises. It is coolish and dampish in the evenings. Weird for the first week of August.
The stupid mockingbird is staking out his territory for the pokeberries. They are not ripe yet, but he is definitely taking over his spots. Noodles happens to be around these spots, so there is a lot of screaming from the bird and a lot of Noodles doing the weird chirpy, raspy things cats do with their lower jaw. I am sure when the berries ripen, he will have to be on the screened porch and out of reach of the beak.
I finished the English Babydoll Southdown wool. I have tried it, and I don't want to do it again. It did soften some when it was washed. I am now going to spin some BFL that will spin easily and quickly and will be a joy to spin.
I did dye with the weld I bought at the fiber show last weekend. I didn't have a lot, so I planned two skeins of commercial sock yarn. One skein I used copper sulfate, and it is the prettiest, softest green and is gorgeous. The other one was dyed with alum and cream of tartar and is the prettiest, softest yellow and is gorgeous. I love both of them. I think they would be pretty together in a subtle colorwork pattern.
Oh, that is the other problem I have. I started to take a picture of them, and the camera said the batter is exhausted. So I plugged in the charger, and nothing is happening. I guess I have to get a new battery. Sigh! I can't take all this crazy electronic stuff going out all at the same time.
Have a good first week of August. I hope you are dry and cool and getting work done. Later.
Finally late morning nearly noon, my friend CJE came over with a huge amount of stuff. She finally got herself set up with her spinning wheel. She said it is a really sad day when you notice there are cobwebs on your spinning wheel. So I gave her a cloth and some oil and she cleaned it up before starting.
So the afternoon was productive with me knitting and her spinning and talking about things.
After she left the young man from Cox came over and worked on my mess again. I ended up buying a new router at Office Depot, and I am online again. Unfortunately, the original problem is still there.
I can get connection, but suddenly it goes away. Sometimes it comes back immediately, and sometimes it takes a while to reconnect.
Weather is crazy and no one can figure out what is happening. We never, ever get so much rain and I never, ever have to mow so regularly. Sigh! At least I don't have to turn on the air conditioner until later in the afternoon when the sun comes out and the humidity rises. It is coolish and dampish in the evenings. Weird for the first week of August.
The stupid mockingbird is staking out his territory for the pokeberries. They are not ripe yet, but he is definitely taking over his spots. Noodles happens to be around these spots, so there is a lot of screaming from the bird and a lot of Noodles doing the weird chirpy, raspy things cats do with their lower jaw. I am sure when the berries ripen, he will have to be on the screened porch and out of reach of the beak.
I finished the English Babydoll Southdown wool. I have tried it, and I don't want to do it again. It did soften some when it was washed. I am now going to spin some BFL that will spin easily and quickly and will be a joy to spin.
I did dye with the weld I bought at the fiber show last weekend. I didn't have a lot, so I planned two skeins of commercial sock yarn. One skein I used copper sulfate, and it is the prettiest, softest green and is gorgeous. The other one was dyed with alum and cream of tartar and is the prettiest, softest yellow and is gorgeous. I love both of them. I think they would be pretty together in a subtle colorwork pattern.
Oh, that is the other problem I have. I started to take a picture of them, and the camera said the batter is exhausted. So I plugged in the charger, and nothing is happening. I guess I have to get a new battery. Sigh! I can't take all this crazy electronic stuff going out all at the same time.
Have a good first week of August. I hope you are dry and cool and getting work done. Later.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
The Monotony of Summer!
I haven't written because nothing is new. It is the time of year I understand siestas. It is hot, humid, and so far, really dry. After our beginnings of rainy days, we are now in drought again.
I have my knitting nest set up exactly as I like it, and I am slowly progressing on my sweater. It is the softest yarn- a merino and cashmere blend. I am not sure that it will hold up to a lot of wear, but it will be nice to wear next to skin. The pattern is challenging, and I do about 1 or 2 rows a day. I am still plugging along with the lacy scarf. Surely I will have it finished by the October show in Greenwood. That is the goal. I am still out of love with it, and that makes the knitting tedious.
I finished one skein of the British Babydoll Southdown. Not my favorite wool to spin, but I wanted the experience of a new wool. I know I will not buy any more of that.
This coming weekend is the fiber show in Kellyville, OK-Fiber Christmas in July. I am going to make my annual trek for a day trip. I know that I DO NOT need any more fiber, but gosh! when did that ever stop me? I also want to network with some of my vendor friends.
I have a dreaded appt. on Friday to get my teeth cleaned. I HATE dentistry worse than anything. Yuck!
I am almost Netflix-ed out for a while. I know I am at a low place when I am watching Sherlock Holmes shows. Surely some time in my life I have seen these.
I am reading a lot lately, but I can't tell you what I am reading. Cozy mysteries, I know, but none of them that memorable. I finished the series of Shetland mysteries by Anne Cleese. They were good. I recommend them for mystery readers. The others are just little books that take a day or maybe two to read. I am back with the library since I am reading so fast this summer.
Another person stopped to "sell" me on sealing my driveway. This is number three. I am getting good at dismissing them. I must have a sign marked out on the road somewhere that says "Sucker lives here." At least they are creative about what their products do. Oh, well, winter will come and the grass growing in the cracks will die. One offered to spray poison on the grass for me. I told him absolutely not while I have birds and insects so active right now. He looked at me like I was crazy.
I do have a great variety of bees right now. They are loving all the good things to pollinate. I have a lot of butterflies, too, and I noticed there seems to be a lot of dragonflies this year. I saw lots of baby praying mantises about a month ago. Of course, I have the usual number of birds. I don't have so many hummingbirds as I have had. The downy woodpeckers seem to enjoy the sugar water more than the hummers this year.
So this is the monotonous time of year to stay indoors, avoid the heat, and just keep plugging along towards the goals for October.
Stay cool and drink lots of water.
I have my knitting nest set up exactly as I like it, and I am slowly progressing on my sweater. It is the softest yarn- a merino and cashmere blend. I am not sure that it will hold up to a lot of wear, but it will be nice to wear next to skin. The pattern is challenging, and I do about 1 or 2 rows a day. I am still plugging along with the lacy scarf. Surely I will have it finished by the October show in Greenwood. That is the goal. I am still out of love with it, and that makes the knitting tedious.
I finished one skein of the British Babydoll Southdown. Not my favorite wool to spin, but I wanted the experience of a new wool. I know I will not buy any more of that.
This coming weekend is the fiber show in Kellyville, OK-Fiber Christmas in July. I am going to make my annual trek for a day trip. I know that I DO NOT need any more fiber, but gosh! when did that ever stop me? I also want to network with some of my vendor friends.
I have a dreaded appt. on Friday to get my teeth cleaned. I HATE dentistry worse than anything. Yuck!
I am almost Netflix-ed out for a while. I know I am at a low place when I am watching Sherlock Holmes shows. Surely some time in my life I have seen these.
I am reading a lot lately, but I can't tell you what I am reading. Cozy mysteries, I know, but none of them that memorable. I finished the series of Shetland mysteries by Anne Cleese. They were good. I recommend them for mystery readers. The others are just little books that take a day or maybe two to read. I am back with the library since I am reading so fast this summer.
Another person stopped to "sell" me on sealing my driveway. This is number three. I am getting good at dismissing them. I must have a sign marked out on the road somewhere that says "Sucker lives here." At least they are creative about what their products do. Oh, well, winter will come and the grass growing in the cracks will die. One offered to spray poison on the grass for me. I told him absolutely not while I have birds and insects so active right now. He looked at me like I was crazy.
I do have a great variety of bees right now. They are loving all the good things to pollinate. I have a lot of butterflies, too, and I noticed there seems to be a lot of dragonflies this year. I saw lots of baby praying mantises about a month ago. Of course, I have the usual number of birds. I don't have so many hummingbirds as I have had. The downy woodpeckers seem to enjoy the sugar water more than the hummers this year.
So this is the monotonous time of year to stay indoors, avoid the heat, and just keep plugging along towards the goals for October.
Stay cool and drink lots of water.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
What A Bizarre Week!
I decided to knit a color-stranded sweater for myself. I have been so good to focus on what I need for the fiber show in October, and I am glad to say that I am caught up with that. So now onwards with my own sweater. It is a long-term project, but I am so excited about it.
I can't read the damn pattern. It is printed in a very dark color and is a tiny print for the chart. I did enlarge it on the computer after scanning it in. That helps, but it is still hard to see.
Two of my friends have shamed me into buying the magnifying readers that the doctor prescribed for me last January. I can read better (with less strain, I should say), but any movement makes me nauseous and makes me tired and headachy. I decided that perhaps it is the movement that bothers me. If it is stationary, I can read better. If it moves (as in knitting) I can't handle it. I do one row around and that's it. At this rate I will never finish the sweater.
Of course, everyone tells me that I will adjust to it, and that it will make things so much better. Yeah, right!
And today I got attacked by a yellow jacket wasp. And then I discover that the nest is right by the back stairs in the cap of one of the support posts. And then I panic that Patty will get stung. And then I monitor her every move out-of-doors. It has not been a good day.
Everything that I read online tells me this is a serious situation, and I already knew that. My neighbor came over about 6:30 to check out the situation, and he bravely duct taped all the way around the tops. I am giving it another day to make sure that the surviving ladies that did not get sealed in the tomb go away. Then I am duct taping every one of the caps to make sure that it is safe.
I am spinning some English Babydoll Southdown fleece. I have never spun it before, but it is weird feeling. It is spongy feeling in the roving, and it is spinning rather tightly. It definitely is not a long, lustrous fiber, and it isn't very soft. I am thinking something like gloves from the yarn. I don't know yet. I think socks would be too thick and hot for me. It isn't a difficult fiber to spin, just different than what I normally spin. I wouldn't advise a beginner to tackle it unless a thick/thin yarn is wanted. I am trying to control the draw, but it is a bit troublesome.
I wanted to get some mowing done this morning, but I never got started after the wasp sting and all.
It is 85 degrees at 9:35 pm. We went from cooler to hotter real quick. Of course, the up side is grass doesn't grow in hot and dry conditions! Yeah!
Otherwise, we are doing our usual hanging out in the house during the day and avoiding heat. Noodles comes in about 1 pm and stays in until dark. Patty just sleeps.
My son turns 40 years old this Thursday! Wow! Isn't that impossible?
Have a good and safe rest of the week. I am ready to go to bed and read a while.
I can't read the damn pattern. It is printed in a very dark color and is a tiny print for the chart. I did enlarge it on the computer after scanning it in. That helps, but it is still hard to see.
Two of my friends have shamed me into buying the magnifying readers that the doctor prescribed for me last January. I can read better (with less strain, I should say), but any movement makes me nauseous and makes me tired and headachy. I decided that perhaps it is the movement that bothers me. If it is stationary, I can read better. If it moves (as in knitting) I can't handle it. I do one row around and that's it. At this rate I will never finish the sweater.
Of course, everyone tells me that I will adjust to it, and that it will make things so much better. Yeah, right!
And today I got attacked by a yellow jacket wasp. And then I discover that the nest is right by the back stairs in the cap of one of the support posts. And then I panic that Patty will get stung. And then I monitor her every move out-of-doors. It has not been a good day.
Everything that I read online tells me this is a serious situation, and I already knew that. My neighbor came over about 6:30 to check out the situation, and he bravely duct taped all the way around the tops. I am giving it another day to make sure that the surviving ladies that did not get sealed in the tomb go away. Then I am duct taping every one of the caps to make sure that it is safe.
I am spinning some English Babydoll Southdown fleece. I have never spun it before, but it is weird feeling. It is spongy feeling in the roving, and it is spinning rather tightly. It definitely is not a long, lustrous fiber, and it isn't very soft. I am thinking something like gloves from the yarn. I don't know yet. I think socks would be too thick and hot for me. It isn't a difficult fiber to spin, just different than what I normally spin. I wouldn't advise a beginner to tackle it unless a thick/thin yarn is wanted. I am trying to control the draw, but it is a bit troublesome.
I wanted to get some mowing done this morning, but I never got started after the wasp sting and all.
It is 85 degrees at 9:35 pm. We went from cooler to hotter real quick. Of course, the up side is grass doesn't grow in hot and dry conditions! Yeah!
Otherwise, we are doing our usual hanging out in the house during the day and avoiding heat. Noodles comes in about 1 pm and stays in until dark. Patty just sleeps.
My son turns 40 years old this Thursday! Wow! Isn't that impossible?
Have a good and safe rest of the week. I am ready to go to bed and read a while.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
The Heat Is On!
I find it much too hot to mow carefully this time of year. I have been using the riding mower in spurts. I can't do it all at one time. It is just too hot. I did not trim or use the string trimmer last week.
Noodles and Patty are finding all the stick-tights that are coming with the weeds. I pick them out as fast as I can.
I have wound down with the knitting. I did finish the socks, and I am still knitting the lace scarf. I picked up the UFO of a shawl that I put aside earlier on. I also decided in the late evening while watching Netflix on t.v., I can do a few squares on my mitered square blanket. I know I declared it "done" a long, long, long time ago, but I am going to do one more row while it is so hot. Easy peasy knitting.
Of course, I am still spinning yarn. I just completed a teeny skein of black alpaca. It is so lovely. Glossy and a true-black color. I have decided to put some odds/ends together to make a small skein of something. We will see if the colors look okay when spun. Right now that is iffy when I look at the color mixtures.
I decided I could sew strips together to make a strip quilt, but that hasn't been going too well. I keep getting distracted and I somehow got my strips twisted. I had to rip out a seam and untwist, and that did me in.
Otherwise I am reading a lot, and doing a whole lot of nothing. This is typical for summer when the weather is awful.
My friend SMH and I went out to eat last night to celebrate our birthdays. We had a good meal, and enough food for us to eat today as well. We had a good time, and it was fun!
I need a little fun right now. I have had one of my bouts of depression that hits me periodically. I have to wallow around in it for a while, which does strain friendships some. I call it going down into the well. After moaning around for a while, I usually pull myself out and move on. Thank goodness I never get bad enough to be concerned. It is just a cyclical thing I have done all my life.
Have a good weekend. July is upon us and we are moving into deep summertime. So far I have only had to use the a/c during the heat of the day. I can get by at night and early day without it. July is a test of endurance. There were times last year that the a/c stayed on 24/7. It is usually the time of long siesta. Do not move much or you sweat. Then August is the hot, hot month. Then it begins to wind down to Fall. Aren't cycles wonderful!
Stay safe and cool wherever you are.
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